The Abyss of Life and Death
by ani411
Summary: This story continues from the ending of Ptolemy's Gate. Nathaniel is really dead but how does simply calling Bartimaeus' name "summon" him to the World of the Dead? And what is that mysterious echo that seems to come from above?
1. Chapter 1

**Writer's note: This is the edited version of the fanfic that I posted earlier, but I accidentally deleted that version and the reviews ):. However, a big thank you to _soul and spirit, KyuuketsukiShounen and inutaisho89 _for reviewing (: **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of The Bartimaeus Trilogy written by Jonathan Stroud. There are some quotes from his book and I mainly only own the plot. **

**Chapter 1: A Wave of Death**

**_Bartimaeus_**

I was back in the Other Place.

What happened? The kid had insulted me ((1)) and then dismissed me.

I admit, I was shocked. With that dismissal, he did for me more than magician ever did. Except Ptolemy of course. But that was Ptolemy. _He_ was different ((2)). The kid. He's another thing altogether. Never knew he was such a self-sacrificial git.

"_Bartimaeus…"_

Now, THAT was creepy. Where did THAT come from?

A sudden tug at my essence. I don't believe it! Another summons?! That kid had just dismissed me. Had he gotten cold feet and want me to accompany him ((3))?

Another tug. Stronger this time, as though invisible hooks were embedded me. As usual, I resisted to the best of my effort but to no avail. I was once again dragged by the summons to…

Somewhere I could not materialise ((4)) and somewhere that was definitely not Earth.

It was really dark and I felt the tendrils of a biting wind lick me. Strange how there could be a cold wind when the place felt exactly like the Other Place, putting no pressure on my sore essence.

The darkness seemed to clear after some time and a pretty _grey _place appeared. It was like a world with nothing in it, except I saw something ((5)) that made me freeze and rub my eyes, doubting what I was seeing.

It was the kid. He looked, well ghostly.

"Bartimaeus? Is that you?" he whimpered. Sounding exactly how he sounded when he summoned me five years ago.

I replied in a resounding voice, "I am Bartimaeus! I am Sakhr al-Jinni, N'gorso the Mighty, and the Serpent of Silver Plumes! I have rebuilt the walls of Uruk, Karnak, and Prague. I have spoken with Solomon. I have run with the buffalo fathers of the plains. I have watched over Zimbabwe till the stones fell and the jackals fed on its people. I am Bartimaeus! I recognize no master…"

"Of course I know who you are! ((6))" the kid snapped, back to his usual self.

"Then what do you want, Natty boy? I thought you died together with Nouda when Gladstone's staff broke((7))" I said irritably. Though at the moment I was feeling anything _but _irritation. I was shocked and well...a _little _happy. The kid didn't die! Or did he?

"Yes I did. You are in the World of the Dead." he replied.

I blinked and asked, "Then how could you summon me if you are dead?"

He replied, "I didn't. I just said your name, there was a bang, a flash of green light and you appeared."

I pondered this in silence. I had never heard of this World of the Dead, though I was an almighty djinni. However, what mattered was whether there was a way out of it to Earth or the Other Place. I would probably help if he wanted to get back to life and it was possible. I mean, _Kitty _would be delighted.

"So...is there any way out of this place?" I asked tentatively.

The kid shrugged, "If I knew, I would be out of here and back to life again."

_There is…There is…_

Another echo.

I admit, all these echoes were freaking me out.

"That sounded like Kitty." the kid wondered aloud.

I shrugged, "Maybe you just miss her too much. After all, I saw your thoughts. If only Kitty knew."

Nathaniel shifted awkwardly and blushed.

There was an awkward pause.

I broke it by asking, "So…how do you know this is the world of the dead ((8))? It doesn't look much."

"Easy. I saw people that are obviously dead here." he replied.

"Like who?" I asked curiously.

"I am not saying their names. It took me forever to get away from them."

Ah, that was interesting. Let me see who is dead…

"Your dear old master…Jessica Whitwell ((9))?"

BANG.

The thin hag appeared.

"The Prime Minister was very displeased that you left without proclaiming your depature." she said in a shrill voice.

I couldn't help asking, "We? You mean there are more magicians? Like Rupert Deveraux, Carl Mortensen, Helen Malbindi, Marmaduke Fry?

A simultaneous series of bangs.

They all appeared.

"Look what YOU have done, Bartimaeus!" Nathaniel hissed. "We would never get away from them now."

"We((10))" I asked incredulously.

I had a brilliant idea.

"Ptolemy?" I asked hesitantly.

There was a pregnant pause.

"Was there anything that necessitated your unannounced depature, John? And is there anything that is supposed to happen? Who is Ptolemy?" Rupert Deveraux cut in.

"I apologise for my sudden depature, Prime Minister. I had accidentally summoned my djinni, which drew me here. Nothing is supposed to happen. Ptolemy has been dead for too long. Only those that have died for less than a hundred years would still be here. He is probably reincarnated or something. " Nathaniel replied.

I swore colourfully in Ancient Egyptian. I had been hoping that I would see Ptolemy again, after meeting people who were already dead. I had never managed to thank him properly ((11)). But this place just had to work _that _way.

However, something broke my line of thought as we heard…

_Nathaniel…I will resurrect you…_

This time, there was no doubt it was Kitty's voice.

((1)) Typical of magicians.

((2)) You didn't think I wore his appearance for nothing, did you?

((3)) Strictly impossible, since the staff would have broken moments after he dismissed and he would have…_died_.

((4)) Mind you, I was about to take Nathaniel's form. Take it as a mark of respect for what he did for me.

((5)) Or person. Whatever.

((6)) Ouch. I just couldn't resist the temptation, ok? He didn't need to be so insensitive.

((7)) The last thing I wanted to be true. Wait. Did I just say that?

((8)) Though it really looked like one. It had this really gloomy atmosphere about it, as though it was a graveyard.

((9)) The obvious person would have been Ptolemy. But I wanted to irritate that kid.

((10)) Oops. Maybe it was not such a good idea to call them after all. Even if it irritated that kid.

((11)) Ok, I admit it wasn't because of that. But he saved my _life_, so of course I would want to see him again.

**ETA: Enjoy (:**


	2. Chapter 2

****

**Writer's note: This is the second chapter after a really long time / A big thank you to my beta reader _Sigil_ and to those that reviewed for the first chapter: _soul and spirit, KyuuketsukiShounen, cherrybloo and inutaisho89_ (: **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of The Bartimaeus Trilogy written by Jonathan Stroud. There are some quotes from his book and I mainly only own the plot. **

**Ch****apter 2: Life is for the living?**

_**Kitty**_

Nathaniel died. The pain Kitty felt was unbearable, even worse than the night they stole Gladstone's Staff and she was pursued by Honorius the afrit. It was as though someone had stabbed her heart with a knife and broke it into a million pieces.

"Do I love Nathaniel?" she pondered.

"I don't know. But he loves me." she thought absently. "Loved." she corrected bitterly.

She tried to douse her grief by burying herself in books in the library. It didn't work, but she continued reading and reading; hoping maybe one day she would find a hint, any hint at all about where Nathaniel went and whether she could _ever _bring him back, although he was dead.

One day, she found a book titled "The Abyss of Life and Death" by Light in one secluded corner. It was a thick and dusty volume with many dog-eared pages. The cover was almost detached from the spine. Kitty opened it, with the dust making her eyes water.

The book told her of three worlds that coexisted on top of each other like a layer cake, namely Earth or the World of the Living, the Other Place where the spirits live and the last world Kitty had never heard of: The World of the Dead. The book gave a description of the three worlds but then she came to a chapter titled "The Passage That Was Never Taken – The Abyss of Life and Death". Kitty read on and realised that there was a way to save Nathaniel! It was simply through the Abyss of Life and Death.

The Abyss of Life and Death was an empty abyss at the end of the World of the Dead that only changed into a passage under certain conditions. This passage went through the Other Place (Since Earth was right on the top, the Other Place was in the middle and the World of the Dead was right at the bottom.) and ended at Earth. Kitty continued reading as the chapter described the various complicated conditions needed for the abyss to change, which included the summoning of a spirit into the World of the Dead etc. The chapter was long and it took Kitty all day to finish reading it. However, she closed the book with exhilaration, as she realised that she could "communicate" with Nathaniel while she figured out how exactly to resurrect him.

At home, she drew a simple, standard pentacle and placed a bowl of incense outside the pentacle. There was no need for a second. She sat down cross-legged and closed her eyes, saying the long and complicated incantation she had seen in the book, taking care not to miss a word and to say "Nathaniel" after the last syllable. It took 5 seconds (as the World of the Dead was further away) for her to feel a floating sensation and when she opened her eyes, she saw a grey and misty place. Nevertheless, her brain only registered the fact that Nathaniel was standing right in front of her. "It's Nathaniel! This book really works! Can I _touch_ him?" she wondered. The thing she wanted to do most was to hug him, to ensure that he was simply _there_. She reached out a hand and tried to touch him, but her hand only went right through like he didn't exist. She was rather dismayed but was gratified to find out that she could hear Nathaniel's voice loud and clear. That was when she heard a familiar voice other than Nathaniel. It was Bartimaeus! Nathaniel seemed to be talking to him. "Is Bartimaeus dead too?" she wondered.

She continued listening to what they were saying, a silent observer by their side. When she heard Nathaniel saying, "If I knew, I would be out of here and back to life again." she could not help saying "There is...There is..." and strange as it might seem, Nathaniel could hear her, and even knew it was her! However, her own voice frightened her as it echoed through the dark, foreign place. It sounded so _ghostly _that she almost thought she was the one that was dead instead.

Suddenly, Bartimaeus accidentally summoned all the ministers. Kitty realised that the name, even the official name, had much power in the World of the Dead. She pondered this detail as the ministers, Nathaniel and Bartimaeus continued their conversation. Suddenly, the doorbell rang in Kitty's world and she had no choice but to leave a message for Nathaniel: "_Nathaniel…I will resurrect you..."_

She went downstairs and opened the door.

**ETA: Enjoy and Review! (:**


End file.
